March Record For City Centre Hotels

Figures show increase in overnight visitors to Manchester

NEW DATA reveals Manchester City Centre hotels achieved the strongest March on record, with occupancy reaching 81% on average.

According to research by STR Global LTD and supplied by Visit Manchester, this represents a 4% rise on March 2013 figures (77%) and a 7% rise on the March average from the years 2000-2013 (74%).

“This is the first time that the city’s hotels have achieved over 80% average occupancy for the month of March - boosted, in no small part, by the many and varied events on offer throughout the month"

Figures peaked at 98% occupancy when comedienne, Miranda Hart, performed at the Manchester Phones 4u Arena on Saturday 15 March. The BMX National Series and National Wedding Show events is also thought to have boosted overnight visitors to the city that same weekend.

High rates continued when 98% occupancy was also achieved on two weekday nights – Wednesday 19 March and Tuesday 25 March.

Overall weekday nights jumped from 73% last year to 78%.

Andrew Stokes, chief executive of Marketing Manchester, said, “This is the first time that the city’s hotels have achieved over 80% average occupancy for the month of March - boosted, in no small part, by the many and varied events on offer throughout the month.

“We are particularly pleased with the increase in weekday occupancy rates as this highlights the importance of business tourism, where conferences and meetings with large numbers of delegates help to provide a higher baseline on nights that would ordinarily be much quieter.”

Business tourism is said to have also played a part in boosting the overall March occupancy figure – particularly for midweek nights.

Great news. Yet remains so extraordinary, that the Which Worst Hotel chain Britannia Hotels say there is no market for their imaginary Hotel that they are incapable of putting into London Road Fire Station - and no-one wants there. CPO 2015 in the 29th year of that crisis, four planning permissions and several extensions later...! A better use can be found while the buzz and hive of activity and the hotel industry does so well. Tourists and visitors need somewhere to go.

Britannia Hotels evidently have several councillors in their pocket. It's an absolute disgrace this building hasn't been made subject of a CPO whlst on the other side of the street, planning permission for any ghastly development going was granted. Completely missed opportunity.